The Hundred and Ninety-Nine Steps: The Courage Consort

Description

Sian, troubled by dark dreams and seeking distraction, joins an archaeological dig at Whitby Abbey. The abbey's one hundred and ninety-nine steps link the twenty-first century with the ruins of the past and Sian is swept into a mystery involving a long hidden murder, a fragile manuscript in a bottle and a cast of most peculiar characters. Equal parts historical thriller, romance and ghost story, this ingenious and unforgettable literary page-turner. This new edition sees The Hundred and Ninety-Nine Steps brought together with its sibling novella, The Courage Consort.

Michel Faber has written nine books, including the highly acclaimed The Crimson Petal and the White, The Fahrenheit Twins and the Whitbread-shortlisted novel Under the Skin. He has also won a variety of short-story awards, including the Neil Gunn, the Ian St. James and the Macallan. Born in Holland, brought up in Australia, he now lives in the Scottish Highlands.

* Part historical thriller, part gothic romance, part ghost story, it is further confirmation that its author is a singular talent with a unique perception of the universe. Sunday Herald * This is a man who could give Conrad a run at writing the perfect sentence. Guardian * Engrossing ... the writing is spare and evocative and Sian's slow return to health is powerfully wrought. The Times * With impressive subtlety and economy, Faber raises questions about ... the way in which the past haunts the present and the invisible undercurrents lying beneath human relations. Evening Standard * Visits the strangest of places and makes them real. Scotsman